Fruit-picker



No. 6l7,346. Patented lan. I0,.l899.

w. MssmAN. FRUIT PICKER. Appumon med :une e, 159m (No Model.)

' Ni'rED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VILLIAM MUSSMAN, OF SPRAGUEVILLE, IOW'A.

FRUIT-PlcKER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 617,346, dated January 10, 1899.

Application filed J' une 8, 1898.

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM MUssMAN', a citizen of the United States, residing at Spragueville, in the county of Jackson and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Fruit-Picker, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to fruit'pickers or gatherers and is designed to improve the construction of such devices and provide an exceedingly simple and durable picker.

To this end the present invention consists in a head having a series of prongs or fingers disposed in an arc of a circle, a iiange or shoulder arranged opposite the series of prongs, forming a pocket to hold the fruit, and a socket provided upon the under side of the head and arranged to project at the same side as the pocket, said socket to receive handles of different lengths.

Further objects and advantages of the improvements will be hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the invention. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of the frame for the pocket.

Corresponding parts in both figures are denoted by like characters of reference.

Referring to the drawings, l designates a flat head of circular or disk-like form and constructed of wood, having a suitable socket 2 secured to the under side of the head and disposed at an angle thereto, preferably of forty-five degrees. This socket is adapted to receive a stick or handle 3, which may be varied in length to suit the requirements of the case.

Arranged upon the upper face of the head l and opposite the socket 2 is a series of prongs or fingers 4, arranged near the edge of the head and disposed 'upon an arc of a circle equally upon each side of the longitudinal axis of the device.

To provide a pocket to hold the fruit after it has been picked from the branch, a frame 5 is mounted upon the head opposite the series of prongs. This frame is preferablyr constructed of stout wire, having its extremities bent into arms 6, which are suitably secured to the upper face of the head near its edge,

Serial No. 682,905. (No model.)

l having the intermediate portion thereof bent into a segmental form, which is arranged horizontally above the head and supported thereon by the arms 6. To complete the pocket, some stout material 7, of canvas, wire screen, or the like, is fastened around the periphery of the head inclosed by the abovementioned frame by nails or other suitable means S and is stretched upon the frame and secured thereto by sewing or in any preferred manner. y

In operating the device the handle is manipulated to seat the fruit upon the head and within the series of prongs, when the device is drawn downward, the prongs pulling against the fruit until it is separated from the branch and is deposited into the pocket formed by the canvas stretched upon the frame 5. Each device is constructed sufficiently large to hold a number of apples or the like, and when the pocket is full the picker is lowered to the ground and the fruit removed, thus avoiding the bruising and consequent damage caused by those pickers employing a bag or chute to convey the fruit to the operator.

The wall ofthe pocket' formed by the material 7 constitutes acushioned pocket to receive and retain the fruit upon the head and prevent bruising thereof.

This invention presents ,an exceedingly efflcient and durable fruit-gatherer, which is capable of changes in its form, proportion, and minor details without departing from the spirit and scope or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof, and I therefore do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precise construction and arrangement as herein shown and described.

Having thus described my invention, what e IOO 2 eine@ and a handle fitted to the head, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a fruit-picker, the combination of .a at circular or disk-like head having a series of fingers or prongs extending from the head in an arc of a circle, a pocket arranged opposite the series of fingers and forming a continuation of the latter, and comprising a frame formed from a single length of Wire bent intermediate its ends into segmental form, the segmental portion being arranged in a horizontal plane, and the ends of the wire being bent at approximately right angies to the plane of the segmental portion to WILLIAM MUSSMAN.

Witnesses W. G. F. BLossFELnJ Ei C. PANKOW. 

